Lucy
Lucy is an activewear store that originated on the West Coast. The biggest concentration of stores is in California, but they’ve slowly been creeping across the country. Illinois was infiltrated several years ago, and I became a fan. Lululemon is the hipper brand and its exercise pants are more flattering, but Lucy is still a favorite of mine.

One of the biggest reasons is its socks. Don’t laugh. I’m a runner and socks make a world of difference. They are really well-constructed and come in a variety of styles for different running conditions. Every time I make a trip home I run to Lucy to buy more.

Their yoga and loungewear is special, too. It transitions easily from the studio to the street, and I’ve run many errands in OMgirl pants that I bought at Lucy. Plus there’s a really lovely pro-girl vibe there that makes me feel warm and fuzzy.